Shakti 50th Anniversary Tour

As the lights dimmed, members of Shakti entered the stage to a thunderous standing ovation. The minimal stage set (a low riser, draped in black, and spread with a few Indian carpets) gave few clues to the amazingly complex music soon to follow. As the musicians took their cross-legged seats, a subtle droning sound filled the room. The musicians tuned their instruments casually and settled into their places, like friends relaxing at home.

Davies Symphony Hall is typically host to the pomp and circumstance of classical symphony orchestras–but this beginning had none of that “all hail the first violin” pomposity. For this concert, the space was transformed into simple, organic space where nothing could come between the gifted musicians and their eager audience.

The anchors of the ensemble, tabla master Zakir Hussein and jazz guitar maestro John McLaughlin, set a spiritual tone. In flowing white hair and cottons, McLaughlin had the air of a saint. Hussein described the group’s humble beginnings in the Bay Area town of Fairfax and shared his excitement at playing for such an enthusiastic, welcoming audience. At once, he communicated a simple pleasure in making great music with his long-term friends, and yet also acknowledged that over 50 years, this unique music had a profound impact on audiences worldwide.

I was glad my phone captured the body language of the instrumentalists, as an essence of the music was the intense communication and communion among the group members. At times, while one musician took a solo, the others would take genuine pleasure in the hearing their bandmate soar. And in accompaniment, they often clapped a sparse pattern with perhaps one clap every 5-10 seconds. The claps were not always on the same beat of the measure, but they were always in perfectly timed to land together–the musicians were clearly having a ball clapping a simple, yet surprising pattern and always landing in precise synchrony.

Each musician had their moment to demonstrate amazing virtuosity. McLaughlin at 81 years old played blazingly fast intricate lines with unparalleled precision, and yet he was also content to play soft and subtle backgrounds that set a mood for his bandmates. Hussein not only plays intense rhythms on the tabla, but also plays his drum melodically, often driving the group to greater heights (see his expression in the phone above). The three musicians who are newer to this version of Shakti–Mahadevan, Selvaganesh, and Rajagopalan–each also demonstrated stunning talent when it was their turn to shine.

Shakti’s music is a fusion of American jazz and traditional musical forms from India. Each musician has space to take the audience on an improvisational journey, with full interactive support of all the others on stage. Punctuating the improvisations, the group together plays rapid, precise, angular lines in unison. It’s breathtaking how they could play complex, high speed lines perfectly as one. The sound is intricate, percussive, and exciting; the group spirit is harmonious and mutually supportive; the overall themes communicated are passion and joy.

Towards the close of the concert, there was a unexpected beautiful moment. A gentleman named Randall Kline started the SF Jazz Festival and built the SF Jazz Center, and has recently retired from his role in leading the institution. Zakir Hussein called him to the stage and presented Randall with both an Indian Sari and one of his own tabla drums.

I was thrilled to share such an amazing concert experience with Audrey, Micah, Roy and Micah’s friend Ajay. And of course, we joined the audience at the end in a massive standing ovation.

Details